In various industries, multiple elongated metal pieces are often cut simultaneously to a desired length using a band saw, while the metal pieces are held together in a bundle with one or more straps along the length of the metal pieces. A number of industrial assemblies have been developed in the past for such cutting operations, and which generally include a feeding apparatus coupled to a band saw (such as a vertical, horizontal or scissors-type band saw) in a manner that allows for the feeding apparatus to move the bundled metal pieces longitudinally to the band saw. The feeding apparatus and the band saw may operate in an automated process to cut the metal pieces into shorter work pieces by moving the bundled metal pieces a preselected distance past a band saw blade and cutting the metal pieces to a desired length, and repeating the process.
It has been appreciated that using straps to hold the metal pieces together may present challenges during movement to the band saw, such as the straps damaging or getting caught on the band saw or a band saw component. For example, the straps may scrape the surface of a band saw cutting table or get caught on band saw vises. Such unintended events during movement of the metal pieces could introduce inaccuracies in the automated cutting operation, and further add to maintenance/service costs and time.
A number of different approaches or solutions have been proposed in the past to address the foregoing challenges. For example, it has been suggested to weld the longitudinal ends of the metal pieces together and remove the straps prior to loading on the feeding apparatus. Such approach suffers disadvantages in that the welding operation increases overall processing time and reduces reliability and reproducibility in subsequently moving the metal pieces to the band saw. Another approach has been to introduce chamfering to the band saw vises and cutting table. Such approach however exposes the band saw vises and cutting table to greater wear and tear over time, and thus, increasing maintenance and service costs.